Shredded Brussels Sprouts With Orange And Almonds

Shredded Brussels sprouts with orange and almonds comes together in under 15 minutes. It’s a flavor-packed side dish that works for a holiday meal or weeknight dinner.

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I love cooking seasonally. Using fruits and veggies that are grown nearby, in that season. Brussels sprouts are one of those fabulous veggies that spread their wings from fall through spring–making them a super versatile veg to seasonally use.

Brussels sprouts are considered a winter stock vegetable. They are available from about September to early April. Way to go Brussels sprouts! Taking over almost the entire year.

In the fall I cook mine up with bacon and apples, roast them to crispness for a deep caramelized flavor, or fry the leaves for a decadent situation. I do like that I can cook them to be indulgent or go with something healthy and light. Sometimes even shredding them raw into a salad.

Keep reading to find out how to prep your shredded Brussels sprouts in minutes flat – hint: using one of my favorite appliances.

For this easy (seriously it will take you about 15 minutes to make) shredded Brussels sprouts side dish, I added citrus and crunchy almonds. I love the versatility of this side – I can serve it at Thanksgiving or Christmas when citrus is just coming into play, or on my January diet, or Easter dinner. Citrus and almonds say holiday as much as they say spring and bright! Plus I made this recipe healthy and low-fat so there’s no guilt. (Load on the potato gratin and roast ham!)

Brussels sprouts aren’t little cabbages. But they sure look like them! To be honest, they do have some of the same genes. They are from the cruciferous (Brassicaceae) plant family. Same as cabbage, kale, broccoli, collard greens, kohlrabi, cauliflower, even turnips and bok choy. Brussels grow as buds off of tall, strong stalks.

Like other veggies from the same family Brussels are native to the Mediterranean region, but were mainly found in Europe as early as the fifth century! Quite a legacy. And you guessed it, their name comes from the city in Belgium where they were grown back in the day.

Shredded Brussels sprouts cook in about 5 minutes! A quick side dish alternative to slow roasting or frying.

It doesn’t matter if you buy Brussels sprouts on the stalk or cut from the stalk. Look for tight, firm and bright green little heads. They will stay fresh for almost two weeks if bought fresh and kept well in the fridge.

It’s the shredding really makes this recipe fast and interesting. Have you ever shredded Brussels? It’s one of my favorite ways to serve the little mini cabbage-looking veggies. I also like simply peeling the leaves off whole and sautéing them. To shred them you simply trim the stem end off (remove any broken outside leaves) and slice thinly with a sharp knife (I love this 6-inch chef knife from Wusthof). For safety, cut them in half and lay the flat side of the sprout on the cutting board, then thinly slice. You save your fingers from the knife slipping off of a roly poly sprout.

You can also feed the little sprouts through the top of a food processor fitted with a slicing blade (my 9-cup Cuisinart is one of my favorite appliances). Almost every food processor comes with a set of attachments like the slicing blade and grating blade. It makes quick work of your pile of sprouts.

Scroll down to see more side dish recipes from some of my food blogger friends.

This low-fat side dish is loaded with flavor, but also vitamins A and C (thanks, Brussels sprouts). The almonds provide a shot of protein and fiber and a delicious crunch. Plus it comes together in under 15 minutes!

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels sprouts, stem ends removed

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth

¼ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

Slice Brussels sprouts thinly and toss with orange juice and vinegar.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add shredded Brussels sprouts. Sauté until bright green and tender, 2 min.